How to Beat the Festive Belly Bloat

December 31, 2019 By Monica van de Weerd

Before you even think about a cleanse, you need to get rid of any negative feelings you have around indulging over the festive season. It's important to realise it's okay to splurge and enjoy yourself with food. Embrace the food baby after Christmas lunch or boxing day, have a glass of champagne to bring in the New Year.

There really is no need to punish yourself with a rigidly strict diet and exercise routine. All you need to do is give your tummy a little extra love and feed it with the things that fuel you. Try following the below ideas for a simple one day mini cleanse to help your body detoxify and debloat.

RISE, SHINE AND LOVE YOUR GUT

A gentle start to give yourself a break from excesses. A cleanse doesn't mean starving yourself or only drinking green juices. It's all about refreshing the body by eating lighter amounts of clean foods which are rich in nutrients.

In the morning, I recommend a cup of warm water with my Love Your Gut powder. It's helpful to remember to stay hydrated during a cleanse day - one to two litres of water is what you need to feel good all day long.

Next, you'll want something gentle and balancing on the gut for breakfast. A gut blended smoothie or smoothie bowl with coconut milk or coconut water work well. Coconut supplies energy building medium chain fatty acids, micro-flora support and defence against parasites and pathogens.

Bananas are a good addition to your breakfast, as they are high in potassium, vitamin B6, immune-boosting vitamin C and also contain nutrients which moderate blood sugar levels. Add berries too and greens if you can!

Try this Berry and Avocado Smoothie Bowl

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 cups of frozen mixed berries
1 cup chopped spinach (frozen or fresh)
2 firm, ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
1 tablespoon of Love Your Gut powder
1 1/2 cups of coconut water
Handful of blueberries
Handful of raspberries
2 tablespoons of flaxseeds
2 tablespoons of granola

Method:

Add all smoothie ingredients into a blender and blend until creamy and smooth.
Divide into two bowls.
Top with any of the toppings you have to hand, whether fresh fruit or seeds.

LIGHT LUNCH

For lunch, fish is a great source of macro and trace minerals. For something new, why not try scallops, which are high in protein, low in calories and taste delicious.

You’ll love my Sauteed Scallops with Mushrooms and Spinach recipe!

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
200 grams of scallops, rinsed and pat dry
Celtic sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 garlic cloves, crushed
140 grams of mixed mushrooms, whole or sliced
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
200 grams of English spinach leaves
Splash of apple cider vinegar
Chopped parsley or rosemary sprigs, to serve
Lemon wedges, to serve

Method:

Heat the oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Season the scallops with salt and pepper, sear in the pan for one-to-two minutes on each side, until golden brown, then remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the garlic, mushrooms, rosemary, thyme and oregano to the pan, then cook, stirring frequently, for five minutes.
Add the spinach and apple cider vinegar, then cook for one-to-two minutes, until the spinach just begins to wilt.
Return the scallops to the pan and cook for one minute to heat through. Serve topped with parsley or rosemary and lemon wedges on the side.

DINNER TO DITCH THE BLOAT

When it comes to dinner, on a cleanse, try and eat light and make it the smallest meal of the day. Enter, my vegetable soup in a jar - which is a delicious, nutritious way to fuel your body and reset the mind before bed.

Remember that a cleansing day isn't about deprivation. You should be able to love your food and make eating a joyful experience. Since you'll be consuming fewer calories on a cleansing day, it's a good idea to invest in good-quality organic, or at least chemical-free wherever possible.

Vegetable Soup in a Jar

Serves one

Ingredients

1 small zucchini or courgette, spiralised and cut into thin strips
1/2 large carrot, spiralised or grated
1/2 red capsicum or pepper, cut into thin strips
1 spring onion or scallion, sliced
6 snow peas, or mange tout, roughly chopped
45 grams of baby English spinach leaves
1 lemon or lime wedge

Method:

Add one tablespoon of wheat-free tamari.
Mix in one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, coriander leaves and a Thai flavour hit made from ginger, chilli, sesame oil, coriander and thyme.
Pulse all the ingredients to a paste in a food processor and store in a small airtight container in the fridge.
Put all the base ingredients in a mason jar and then unscrew the lid when you want it, add boiling filtered water until three-quarters full and add the seasoning.
Top with coriander leaves to eat.

Finish the day with a Golden Gut latte or a couple of Love Your Gut Capsules and get an early night!